Citizens in Guinea-Bissau voted on Sunday in a constitutional referendum that could significantly increase the powers of the president as the country prepares to return to civilian rule.

The military authorities, who seized power last November following a disputed election, are proposing a shift from the current parliamentary system to a presidential system.

If approved, the proposed constitution would give the president the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and dissolve parliament. It would also reduce the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65.

The junta says the reforms are aimed at strengthening political stability ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 6.

However, opposition groups have called for a boycott of the referendum, arguing that the changes could allow the military leadership to consolidate power and deepen political instability.

Polling stations are scheduled to close at 5pm GMT, with provisional results expected from Tuesday.

Guinea-Bissau, a small West African country of about 2.2 million people, has a long history of political instability, including five coups and several attempted coups since gaining independence in 1974.

The latest military takeover followed a contested election in which former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias both claimed victory.

Embaló had also dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament in 2023, citing an alleged coup attempt.